I found that with time and riding with those who's horses have longer gaits helped. When my horse got tired he would canter....it has taken 3 years to have his trot extended to a good pace....with much less effort. Just takes time and persistence. Good luck.
Best Regards, Christina McCarthy American Riding Instructors Association ARICP Certified, Level II Distance & Pleasure Riding
If your horse says no, you either asked the wrong question, or asked the question wrong. ~Pat Parelli
From: dmartin1@xxxxxxxxxxxx To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] cantering Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:07:22 -0600
lately as I work to improve my horse's conditioning I find I have been riding more with experienced distance riders and am finding that my 5 yo 14 hand horse does not have the trot to keep up with a seasoned Arabian distance horse. He tries to extend his trot but gets all strung out and falls behind and gets upset. Or, if I let him move up to a canter he can canter along easily at the same speed as their big trot. He is still building this gait and what I wonder is if I condition and ride him regularly at the canter if this is an acceptable gait (meaning won't overstress or injure him more than a trot would) for a distance horse. He goes all day at his 6 mph working trot but we can either ride alone or with the quarter horses at this speed, it seems like a great trot to me but when an Arab opens up into their effortless float down the trail big trot we catch a lot of dirt. I also notice that the more I let him canter and the better he gets at it that he doesn't even want to try to trot anymore with a big mover but asks immediately to break to the canter.
Amy and Kobe(who has been watching You Tube of the Mongolian horse races and saw they all cantered the whole way and has decided that is the way he wants to go)(he also wants one of those awesome hairdos they sport with the forelock wrapped and sticking straight up)
